So, back to mantel clock demolition! Here you are, with a beautiful coiled mantel clock movement, uncertain about what to do with it. Don’t be scared, power tools are tons of fun to play, er, work with! The Dremel is a relatively safe power tool to work with, and unless you somehow held the cutting tool to your finger, all appendages should be safe.

1. The first thing you should do when cutting open a clock movement is find a good place to work. You want to work outside if you can, but a cleared solid table in a well insulated room can work.

2. If you are inside place a tarp on the carpet as cutting is messy work and the blow back from the cutting with go everywhere. If outside make sure you own a broom.

3. Put on goggle, this is non negotiable, when opening a clock movement, springs, gears and parts can go everywhere. You can choose to where gloves and a gas filter if you want, it depends on you.

4. One thing to remember about the Dremel is that it is delecate, you can’t cut open a large movement like the ones found in mantel clocks in one sitting, the Dremel with over heat and then you will need a new fan. Be sure to have plenty of time to allow your Dremel to rest.

5. Now you are ready to cut! Place the cutting tool on the dremel (this was explained in a past post). The movement is two pieces, held together by solid brass bolts, that no bolt cutter will be able to cut through, thus the Dremel. Place you gloved hand over the edge of the movement where the springs stick out to prevent them from popping and place the other part of the piece upright on the table.

6. Make sure you have a solid hold on the movement and begin cutting slowly through the closest bolt, pausing frequently to allow your dremel to cool. Be careful as you continue to the next bolt as your spirals will begin to loosen and try to pop out.

7. Once you have all the large bolts cut through you can move to the small parts, slowly cutting them either with the Dremel or a bolt cutter, until the two large brass pieces pop apart and you can open the movement completely.

8. Now the movement is cracked open and you can get to the goodies inside!

Look for my next post on how to clear and cut gears for decoration and jewelery making.

If you have done this properly you should have a piece that looks like this!

So, you like clockwork steampunk jewelry? Know how to work metal pieces together, can rivet, solder and cut? How about gear harvesting? Say what?!

One of the biggest problems that steampunk enthusiasts face is the acquirement of gears. Sure you can buy them online, but they are soooo expensive, so why not find them yourself? The best places to look are at thrift shops, antique malls and small abandoned shops pushed in the very back of the district. No really its true, the dustier the better!

I found this little beauty

Abandoned Antique Metal Clock

in a large antique shop in San Francisco over the summer during a steampunk supplies trip, and have been having fun with it ever since. The first thing you do with any of these antique mantel clocks is to safely remove the glass enclosing the face and remove the hands. This is because once you attempt to remove the movement, if the hands are still in place, nothing will happen and you will be left yanking on the movement.

Once the hands and face are safely removed, place the clock on its face and go get your Dremel or some other cutting tool. Unlike so many other clocks, the movement on this baby is bolted to the encasement, making it impossible to remove the movement, short of cutting the whole thing out, it’s not going anywhere. The movement is bolted on all four corners so it will stay in place and each corner must be carefully cut through, (don’t forget your safety goggles, and a tarp!). Once the bolts are all cut, you can then safely remove the movement from the mantel frame. Don’t forget to have a pair of bolt cutters on hand because the movements are often held in place beyond the four bolts and a small sturdy bolt cutter is enough to cut the whole thing loose. Watch for the springs as they will sometimes come undone and pop out at you, another reason for the goggles and even safety gloves to protect from rusty cuts.

In the end though, the trouble is worth it as the movement is now free and ready to be torn apart! My next blog post will be exploring the safe ways of opening a clock movement.